Player piano



April 1929. A. G. GULBRANSEN 1,708,502

PLAYER PIANO Filed April 25, 1921 Qfinzzefiiom m 1 awe G. GulbncznsenPatented Apr. 9, 1929.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A'XEL G. GULBRAN SEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GULBRANSENCOMPANY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PLAYER PIANO.

Application filed April 25, 1921. Serial No. 464,431.

My invention relates to player pianos, and more specifically to animproved attachment for facilitating the control of such a piano by theoperator.

In the various devices commonly employed for emphasizing the melody ofmusic produced by mechanical means, the keyboard of the instrument'isordinarily divided into a plurality of sections, and individual controlof the force or loudness ota note played at any instant in any sectionis provided.

The primary object of my invention is to assist the operator inestimating before a note is played, in which section of the keyboard theparticular note to be emphasized will be played, so that he may actuatethe proper control lever at the proper time.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent asthedescription proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of as much as is necessary of a playerpiano to illustrate the application of my invention thereto;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1; and I Figure 3 is asimilar section with the indicating means in a. different position.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration the keyboardoi the player piano is divided into two sections, a bass section and atreble section. The paper 10 'is moved across the tracker bar 12 fromthe upper roll 1& to the lower roll 16 by any of the mechanisms usuallyemployed in the art for this purpose. I provide indicating means in thenature of a bar 18 adapted to project across in front or" the paperadjacent the line'of vent holes 20 on the tracker bar to indicate to theoperator the dividing ine between the two sections of the keyboard.

To obviate having the bar 18 in the way of the operator when the rollisbeing removed or at any other time, I provide a pivotal support for thesame so that it may be swung up out of the way as indicated in dottedlines at 22 in Figure 1. The particular supporting means I haveillustrated comprises a simple bracket 2% mounted on the end of a stud26 attached to the tracker bar and passing through the supportingstructure 28 adjacent the end of the tracker bar 12, but it will beobvious that various means for supporting the bar may be provided. Asuitable pintle 80 provides a pivotal connection for the bar 18, whichpivotal connection is preferably adjacent the edge of thesupportingstructure 28 so that the bar when swung up into vertical position willbe entirely out of the way of the operator.

The supporting bracket 24 preferably extends beyond its pivotalconnection with bar 18 and carries a small lug 32 which functions as astopoperating by abutment with the edge of the bar 18 to hold it ineither of the positions illustrated in Figure 1.

Vithout further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain thegist of my invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service,without eliminating certain features which may properly be said toconstitute the essen tial items of novelty involved, which items areintended to be defined and secured. to me by the "following claims:

I claim: i

1. In a player piano, the combination with the tracker bar of anindicating arm, a stud attached to and extending beyond the end or saidtracker bar, a supporting bracket secured on the outer end of said studand extendmg inwardly to the ad acent end of said bar, said arm beingpivotally mounted on sand bracket adjacent to the end of said bar and onan axis at right angles with the longitudinal axis of the bar to beswung into operative position in front of and parallel with the bar orto vertical position away from the bar. 7

,2. In a player piano, the combination with the tracker bar of anindicating arm, astud extending from one end of the bar, a supportingbracket secured to the outer end of said stud and extending inwardly tothe adjacent end of the bar, said indicating arm being pivoted on saidbracket adjacent to the stop on said bracket for limiting the swing endof the bar and on an axis extending at of said arm in either direct-ion.

right angles to the perforated space of said In Witness whereof, I havehereunto subbar whereby said arm may be swung into scribed my name this21st day of April, operative position in front of and parallel 1921.

with said perforated space or to an upright position away from said bar,and a single AXEL G. GULBRANSEN.

